About

What this software is?

An agile sql documentation tool that produces an XML document describing a database catalog. XSLT stylesheet to convert in DocBook format, so simply to HTML, PDF… Could be integrated in a continuous integration development process.

Why do I need this software?

What is my need? I found that in my agile development process I had to, in some cases, write SQL documentation; so, what tool to use? I change very frequently my DB schema, in an iterative way, so I want my document be synchronized with that schema. In addition I need to write a doc including an E/R diagram and some text that describes the database in the whole, and eventually some description for the tables.

So, how can I do to make such a document that will be everytime in sync with my DB schema?

I heard about Docbook (www.docbook.org), so I thought that writing such a document in that format will be a good thing, with the possibility to transform it in a pdf, html, etc. In addition that XML format would let me manipulate it…

So, what is the idea? I could write a docbook document with the “static” content of my SQL documentation (such as introduction, table explanation, images, etc…), and a dynamic generated one that contains the documentation of the DB schema, and finally merge them to obtain the final doc. In this way I can have an updated document even if I change very frequently my DB schema, without having to write a line of documentation!!!